What is this drug used for?
• It is used to open the airways in lung diseases where spasm may cause breathing problems.
Frequently reported side effects of this drug
• Runny nose
• Diarrhea
• Tremors
• Sore throat
Other side effects of this drug: Talk with your doctor right away if you have any of these signs of:
• Low potassium like muscle pain or weakness, muscle cramps, or an abnormal heartbeat.
• Chest pain
• Fast heartbeat
• Vision changes
• Severe dizziness
• Passing out
• Severe anxiety
• Severe headache
• Difficulty breathing
• Wheezing
• Cough
• Signs of a significant reaction like wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Note: This is not a comprehensive list of all side effects. Patient should consult prescriber for additional questions.
Pronunciation
(leve al BYOO ter ole)
Medication Safety Issues
Sound-alike/look-alike issues:
Xopenex may be confused with Xanax
Storage and Stability
Metered-dose inhaler: Store at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F); protect from freezing and direct sunlight. Store with mouthpiece down. Discard when the dose indicator display shows zero, corresponding to 200 actuations. Do not store near heat or open flame or expose to temperatures >120°F. Do not puncture or incinerate.
Nebulization solution: Store in protective foil pouch at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F). Protect from light and excessive heat. Vials should be used within 2 weeks after opening protective pouch. Use within 1 week and protect from light if removed from pouch. Vials of concentrated solution should be used immediately after removing from protective pouch.
Adverse Reactions
Cardiovascular: Tachycardia (adolescents and adults)
Central nervous system: Anxiety (adolescents and adults), dizziness (adolescents and adults), headache (children), migraine (adolescents and adults), nervousness (adolescents and adults), pain (adolescents and adults)
Dermatologic: Skin rash (children), urticaria (children)
Endocrine & metabolic: Decreased serum potassium, increased heart rate, increased serum glucose, paradoxical bronchospasm
Gastrointestinal: Diarrhea (children, adolescents, and adults), dyspepsia (adolescents and adults), vomiting
Hematologic & oncologic: Lymphadenopathy
Hypersensitivity: Hypersensitivity reaction (including bronchospasm, oropharyngeal edema)
Infection: Viral infection
Neuromuscular & skeletal: Leg cramps (adolescents and adults), myalgia, tremor (adolescents and adults), weakness (children)
Respiratory: Asthma, bronchitis (children), cough (adolescents and adults), flu-like symptoms (adolescents and adults), nasal mucosa swelling, pharyngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis (adolescents and adults)
Miscellaneous: Accidental injury (children, adolescents, and adults), fever (children)
Rare but important or life-threatening: Acne vulgaris, anaphylaxis, angina pectoris, angioedema, atrial fibrillation, cardiac arrhythmia, chest pain, dry throat, dysmenorrhea, dyspnea, ECG abnormality, epistaxis, extrasystoles, gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hematuria, hyperesthesia (hand), hypertension, hypokalemia, metabolic acidosis, nausea, otalgia, paresthesia, pulmonary disease, supraventricular cardiac arrhythmia, syncope, vulvovaginal candidiasis, xerostomia
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